WELCOME ICEBREAKER

How did your parents settle conflicts in your household?

WORSHIP

Psa. 101:1-3

I will sing of your love and justice.
I will praise you, LORD, with songs.
I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to my aid?
I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all crooked dealings;
I will have nothing to do with them.

WORD

Prior to the lesson review the verses and the notes from Sunday. There is more material here than you will need so pick out the questions and discussion that you think will best suit your group. Pray before the meeting and enjoy!! Have your group read the Matthew 5:21-26 and 18:15-20 and discuss the following questions:

1. What consequences can you see implied here if we don’t go and deal with conflicts that come into our lives? How does unity affect the blessing of God in our home groups? See also Psa. 133, Eph. 4:29-32
2. Whose responsibility is it to start resolving the matter? See also Romans 12:18, Heb. 12:14, Prov. 17:14 and Psa. 34:14
3. Jesus instructed us in the Sermon on the Mount to get the log out of our own eye. See Matt. 7:4,5. What does that mean?
4. Alexander Hiam in Dealing With Conflict provides a valuable instrument to determine our response to conflict. Ask your group to think of an example for each one. (You may want to make copies of the chart for your group)

i. Accommodate (I lose, you win). Putting aside your needs and desires and passively agree to the other person’s requests/demands.
ii. Avoid (you lose, I lose). Side-stepping or withdrawing from the situation.
iii. Compromise (we both win, we both lose). Resolving the conflict quickly and efficiently by seeking a fair and equitable split between the two positions. Each side concedes on some of their issues in order to win others.
iv. Compete (I win, you lose). Seeking to win your position at the expense of the other party losing theirs.
v. Collaborate (I win, you win). Cooperating with the other party to try to resolve a common problem to a mutually satisfying outcome. When you join with the other party to compete against the situation, instead of each other.

WORK